You promised your doctor and your family that this was the year that you were going to make a “real effort” to become healthier. For you, that meant less fast food, cooking more nutritious meals and maintaining an exercise routine. However, on your last trip to the local supermarket, you weren’t sure if you should buy organic. You had heard in the news that both organic and conventionally grown foods provided comparable nutrients. However, you also heard that organic foods are grown and produced in a more traditional/natural way with no chemical fertilizers, synthetic insecticides/herbicides and no additional food additives. Plus, organic farming raises their animals on organic feed and allows them to roam outdoors instead of giving them antibiotics, growth hormones or medications to prevent disease and increase growth. That all sounded pretty good. “But,” you asked yourself, “does that really matter? Organic foods cost more. Are they even worth it?”

Is organic healthier?

Yes, eating organic foods is healthier and worth the extra cost. Even though not enough studies have been done to determine conclusively that organic foods are more nutritious than their conventional counterparts, we do know one thing for sure. When you eat organic foods you ingest less toxins.

Why are toxins harmful for me?

Toxins, by definition, are poisonous, unstable substances that, when introduced to your tissues, induce antibody formation and are potentially harmful to your health. Toxins have been linked to cancer, cardiovascular problems, neurological dysfunction, reproductive problems, developmental problems in children and hormonal imbalances.

However, toxins are something that we all deal with on a daily basis, because they are everywhere. They are found in our environment and even as a byproduct of our natural body processes. Environmentally, you can find toxins in the food you eat (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, preservatives and other added chemicals), the air we breathe (pollution), the water we drink (heavy metals, residue from pharmaceuticals, etc.) and in household and personal care products (chemicals). Naturally, our bodies produce carbon dioxide and ammonia as a byproduct of normal operation, which we must get rid of. Our bodies are trained to break down and remove these toxins from our system via our kidneys, lungs, intestines, blood, liver, lymphatic system and skin. However, like everything else, there is a tipping point. If our bodies become overloaded with toxins, they may not be able to remove enough of these harmful substances and, as a result, they can build up in our bodies causing health issues.

Why is eating organic the right choice for health?

By choosing organic foods, you reduce your exposure to toxins. Organic practices forbid spraying foods with chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and adding food additives, such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, monosodium glutamate, colorings and flavorings. Plus, by eating organic, you help keep the environment cleaner. That is because organic farming methods work with the environment to conserve water, preserve soil quality and reduce pollution. That results in a reduction in the pollution in the air you breathe and the water you drink, thereby reducing the amount of toxins you are exposed to all throughout the day, not just while you are eating. In the long run, eating organic is the best choice for your health and the health of others.

The bottom line:

You may not be able to change where you live, but it is important to be as proactive as you can to reduce your exposure to toxins. And one easy way to do that is to choose organic. Yes, it may cost you a little more, but it will save you money on medical bills because you will have less medical issues due to your body being overloaded with more toxins than it could handle. We’ll see in the long run how much more nutritious organic food may be, but for now we can focus on how much less toxic it is.